Pancakes and Syrup
by Restalaan
Summary: Come and gather around! For, I, Nora, have a tale to tell. In my journey with loyal Ren, we ran into a world of wonder! Trees that grew bacon, wild animals that are part cake and pastry! Dangerous as they are tasty! This is a story of high adventure, food, and friends! Did i mentioned about the candy bees and sugar mouse? Oh, they were just so adorable ! Now, where was i? Oh-right!
1. First Encounter

Disclaimer: I do not own Toriko or RWBY. Toriko belongs to Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro and RWBY belongs to Monty Oum as well as Rooster teeth. 

* * *

"Ren, Ren!" Nora excitedly shouted as she pushed the foliage in her way, her hands waved back and forth to her companion.

She showed Ren what she carried, much to her companion surprise.

It was bacon, handfuls of it. But it was green in colour, yet the smell was intermixed with green vegetable. It was appetizing and he could feel his mouth water slightly.

"Is...is that bacon?" He asked hesitantly with a raised eyebrow, partly his mind wandered as to who would coloured bacon into green of all things.

"Yup! And they taste just as good!" Nora said as she offered one to him. "Try it!"

Ren hesitated for a while, he eyes glanced at the sides before a weird looking bird landed on his shoulder and took a bite instead. He watched the bird before he too sunked his teeth into the bacon.

And good god, it was tasty! The springiness of the meat and taste, combined with the fresh texture of a vegetable. It was a perfect combination of both world.

It was delicious.

"Its tasty." He said with an wide eye expression as he took another bite from it. "Where did you find it?

"I know right! They were growing from the trees! Let me show you!" Nora grabbed Ren hand and pulled him along as she made her way through the forest. The bird that landed on his shoulder was startled from her movement and flapped away.

Ren followed along but kept his eye at the bird, his nose picked a familiar scent when it flew away. It smelled exactly like chocolate milk and its feather had gold color streak at the tip of it. He never seen that type of species, let alone one the bacon leaf that he just ate.

The forest was also much more different when they went through the weird looking cave. Granted, it wasn't a cave so much as a tunnel but he felt a crawling sensation that went over his entire body before he arrived to this...place.

So far, there was no Grimm present. Or perhaps they have yet to appear.

"Look, look!" Nora pointed her finger to a tree, Ren mouth opened in shock as he realized that Nora wasn't exaggerating.

There was plenty of those bacon growing from the tree like leaves, almost naturally. He scrambled to think on how, why and who would be so insane to do that.

His ears picked a sound and he snapped to attention. His weapon flicked out of his wrist and he turned around. Nora followed suit as she had her grenade launcher out and readied.

A rumble and growl echoed as a huge form pushed one of the tree aside, as it stepped into their view. Ren eyes widened as he was taken aback from what he saw.

"W-what?" Ren muttered as he couldn't believed what he was seeing. Nora however smiled massively as she wiped the drool that came from her mouth.

It was a large bull, but it had its entire body was covered in rainbow rice that he would see sprinkled on top of cakes.

He thought it was a cruel prank but he could see that the rice was growing from it. In addition, the strongest scent of dark chocolate flowed from it. More so when the bull seemed quite mad as he saw the two near the bacon tree, its agitation made the scent stronger.

He never realized chocolate scent can be so...rich and fragrant. It made his experience of tasting other chocolate seemed stale in comparison. And this was just the _smell_.

 _How would it taste?_ His mind idly wondered.

"Hey, Ren. Can you smell it?" She calmly said with a grin as she looked at him, the two shared a look with one another.

Ren nodded his head at that, he felt his stomach stirred. His appetite grow as they readied themselves.

"Want to eat it?" Nora smiled mischievously.

Ren clicked his dual pistols as his answer.

 _Someone once said, that there is a field of wheat that shined brightly as the most polished gold and would grow all year round._

"Let's do it!" Nora shouted as she jumped upwards, Magnhild unfurled to a hammer. She raised it high before bringing it down with a force of a meteor.

 _That there are high quality meat that would sparkled like the greatest jewel in the world and a phantasmal taste._

The bull snorted and charged head on, accepting the interlopers challenge. It horns reared and aimed straight for Nora.

 _A waterfall of clear vodka that look no different that the clearest and purest of water, that one can drink their fill and never finish it._

The two met head on, it created a force that shook the very forest itself. A spectacle of nature's most primal fight. Eat or be eaten.

 _This is the Gourment age, where new and undiscovered taste still lie out there. Waiting to be discovered!_

* * *

"And so! We did battle with that rainbow rice bull!" Nora emphasized as she mimed the action of fighting and added sound effect in each of her movement. "And pow! It went down like a cake to the floor!"

"It charged and accidentally slammed into a few trees." Ren succinctly added to the story to help his other companions that sat around the campfire understand.

Eight pairs of eyes shifted to one another, disbelieved, humored and amused.

"...Okay, so this cow-" Jaune started.

"Bull."

"This bull covered in sprinkles that also smelled like chocolate ran into a tree."

"A few trees." Ren extrapolated. "It tore the first and second tree before it slammed into the third."

"To which you two then proceed to eat it all up." Jaune slowly finished to which Nora nodded proudly. "I think i need a moment."

"Well, that is quite the tale." Pyrrha said, unsure of the authenticity but kept her smile up. It was one of the more intriguing tale so far.

"I am still trying to imagine that really, you sure that someone didn't coat it?" Yang said with disbelief, she knew Nora storytelling can at times be exaggerated but this seems down right bizarre.

"Nope!" Nora smiled at that as she held both hands together and dreamily remembered the taste. "And it was sooo good!"

"The meat tasted like dark chocolate, but certain parts like the tenderloins and fillet tasted like chocolate milk as well. The rice coating added flavor to it." Ren closed his eyes too before he shook his head in regret. "It was extremely unhealthy, delicious it may be."

Weiss and Blake shared a look with one another, if Ren is saying that then it must be true. But still, chocolate bull and bacon that grew on trees?

"Oh, oh! What about cookies! Were there any?" Ruby excitedly said with glee, paying rapt attention to the their tale the whole time. More so when she heard the bull description. "Was there a cookie tree?!"

"How about chocolate banana tree?" Sun added in with interest. At least it relieved the boredom.

"I wouldn't be surprised if those grew in the wild." Neptune replied in good humored.

"Hey, least that way i pick as many as i want."

"Hah, saddle up then! For this is just the appetizer." Nora waved her hands dramatically as she stood back up. " Afterwards-" 

* * *

"Look, this tree is leaking honey!" Nora said as she explored the forest. Eager to see what else weird creatures that lied here.

Ren took a look at the burgeoning tree, it was indeed leaking honey profusely. The bark was coated so thickly that it created a glossy sheen over the tree.

He wondered, just what exactly is causing these unnatural things? Nothing make sense at all, almost like if they're in a different world altogether.

Briefly, his mind wandered around and recalled old fairy tales of delightful world but having a sinister dark to it.

Perhaps they shouldn't stay here for long.

"Nora, let's go back." Ren firmly said, much to her disappointment as she was about to use her finger to take a taste of the honey.

When he turned around, he heard buzzing sounds. This alerted him and the two immediately drew their weapons.

The buzzing, far at first, slowly got louder and closer. Ren moved backwards in the opposite direction of where the noise came, a gestured followed by nora.

Not too soon as hordes of bees the size of a small cat flew in their sight. The buzzing and snapping of their mandibles can be heard as they swarmed to the tree, ignoring the two as they focused on the honey instead.

Ren looked at it with fascination but at the same time, kept retreating backwards. No need to provoke the bees into thinking they are competition.

He did note that the bees, instead of the yellow and black color, sported a white and red color instead.

"They look like candy canes." Nora said with wonderment. "Big flying candy canes!"

"Candy canes with stingers." Ren followed up, as they left the bee to their own device. Once they were far enough, they placed their weapons back. Ren looked around to determined the cave they came, only to realized that they wandered even further from it.

"I am going to take a look." Ren curtly said before he leapt upwards swiftly, his leg dashed from one branch to another until he reached the top of the tree.

From his vantage point ,he finally was able to surveyed the entire geography around him.

There was the forest, lush and green. When he turned to the east, he could see a open plain field that seemed to stretched as far as the eye can see.

He looked around a bit more before he was joined by Nora at his side.

"Wow." Nora placed a hand above her forehead to give her a clearer view. "This doesn't look like where we came."

Ren nodded mutely to that, the differing geography confirmed his suspicion. If the local fauna hadn't already did that.

He looked back and forth to get a bead on the cave before he heard a loud scream that echoed throughout the forest. A very human scream.

Ren and Nora turned to the direction it came from before they sprinted off with all their might as their surroundings blurred past them. The two moved with haste as they climbed over any obstacle in their way, anxiousness crept upwards in their veins.

 _He hoped that they were not too late_ , Ren grimaced to himself. 

* * *

"Come on, Komatsu." Toriko sighed as he dropped a huge wild boar the size of a house down to the ground. "You already seen worst, this kind of thing shouldn't surprise you."

"I can never get used to this sort of thing!" Komatsu said with frustration and terror. "I thought this was a peaceful place!"

"Well, it is a peaceful place but we already pass through it. This is the danger zone even though majority of the beast here aren't meat eaters." Toriko explained curtly as he examined his kill with a grin. "Though i wonder how this celepig taste, this one must have been gorging on the forest for awhile."

Komatsu let out a resigned sigh, he supposed he gotten his hopes too high in this trip.

He had leapt for joy when Toriko planned to head to the Boulanger forest, a heaven for every bread and cake maker as plenty of ingredients was supplied from there. He also knew that the place was relatively safe.

At least, until now.

The forest then echoed with sound and movement, he let out a yelp as he took cover behind Toriko as he realized that something was approaching them fast.

The latter took a look behind as he stood up and prepared himself, he wondered what new threat would come after them.

His nose picked up the scent in the air, he frowned as he realized that he didn't recognized the scent.

 _A new kind of beast?_ He thought warily before two young teenagers crashed into the clearing.

 _Bishokuyas, here?_ Toriko wondered but didn't let his guard down.

One them was a male dressed in green clothing and white pants, his hair was black and had a thin strand of pink at the side. The other was a female in black collared vest mixed with white and black, pink skirt and orange hair.

He glanced over to their weapons, a pair of pistols and a large hammer.

Yet he didn't smell the familiar gunpowder scent, there was something mixed in it as well but he couldn't place it. A new compound or chemical?

As the two pairs stare at each other, the black haired one glanced towards the large boar before to him.

"H-hello there! Nice to meet you!" Komatsu gratefully said when he realized that it was people and not wild beast. 

* * *

Hello, this is my first work with Toriko and RWBY cross. Criticism and comments are welcomed so that i can further improve my work.


	2. A split in the road

Second chapter, a shorter one but i feel that it would break the pace and flow for the next chapter if i didn't split it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Toriko or RWBY. Toriko belongs to Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro and RWBY belongs to Monty Oum as well as Rooster teeth.

* * *

"And so!" Nora slowly said to her audience, captivated by her tale. "We met our new companions, Toriko and Komatsu!"

"A bird and a mushroom?" Ruby said, scratching her head.

"No, Ruby." Blake said to her. "Toriko and Komatsu."

"I am more interested in the bees shaped like a candy cane." Yang listened in with interest, she wondered just how much more crazy or insane this story can get.

"So what happens next?" Jaune asked, prompting Nora to continue.

"After our introduction, we embark on a perilous journey. One filled with danger, adventure and delicious food!" Nora struck a pose with each word as she nearly squealed with delight at the last.

"Well, it's like this. After we met our new companions-"Ren followed up.

* * *

"So you are Nora and Ren?" Toriko said as he looked at the two teenagers, noting their young appearance. "You look a bit too young to be Bishokuya."

"A Bishop? I am not a bishop, i am the queen of the castle!" Nora puffed with pride, taking Komatsu by surprise as he gawked.

"Eh?! You're a Queen?!" Komatsu exclaimed with shock, he didn't expect to meet royalty in the middle of the jungle.

"Er, no, no." Ren quickly cleared the misunderstanding before he asked a question to turn the topic of conversation away. "What's a Bishokuya?"

Toriko raised his eyebrow at that and tilted his head sideways. Clearly not expected to hear that answer.

"You don't know? How can you not know!?" Komatsu exclaimed in surprise, how could anyone in this golden gourmet age not know of a Bishokuya role? That's like not knowing what a chef is.

"We're...a bit out of touch and not from here." Ren hesitantly said, he himself wondered what is a Bishokuya. The way the two looked seems like it was akin to a huntsman, or at least if the giant size and strength of Toriko indicated.

"We walked through a cave, which we later found bacon leaves! And then there's this ricecake bull, which we kicked its ass! Then, then we found this cool tree that has honey leaking out! Which attracted plenty of bees! Candy cane bees! I kind of wished we had eaten them-"

"You encountered a rainbow rice bull? How was the taste?" Toriko beamed at that which made Nora excitedly as she describe the taste at great length to him.

While the two continued on, Komatsu opted to turn to Ren and explained to him. "A Bishokuya is a person who hunts ingredients and supplies them if they're requested by the IGO. They also go out and discover new ingredient in the wilds to be studied."

"I see."

"And Toriko over there is one of the four greatest Bishokuya of this age."

 _That would explain his strength, Ren thought to himself._

"But where are you from? I didn't think it was possible for anyone not to hear what a Bishokuya is."

"Well…" Ren hesitantly said.

"Leave it be Komatsu." Toriko interrupted the two as he walked to them with a smile. "If you don't feel like telling us, it is fine."

"Besides, we need to move fast. We are almost at the plains and we need to hurry if we want to get the Emerald Wheat."

"Emerald Wheat? What is that?" Nora leaned forward, interested and curious to know. That doesn't sound edible.

"It is one of the seven greatest wheat, desired by all bakers. One grain alone, when ground into flour, is enough to fill an entire lorry. But most of all, the taste and its effect. The grain is so rich and filling that eating it on its own is enough for a person to fill his stomach for the entire day." Toriko recited what he read up on the Emerald Wheat before he grinned dreamily. "It can be considered the ultimate flour for a good breakfast. I can't wait to try it out."

"Wow." Nora said, awestruck at this information.

 _Wheat, grind down into flour._ Ren hummed to himself before he came upon a realization. A realization that seemed to hit Nora at the exact moment.

"Then this flour? Can it made into a pancake mix?" Nora seem to barely contain her excitement like a little kid in front of a present.

"You can even use it to make a substitute meat like steak as well but yes, it can be use in a pancake mix." Komatsu chimed in, knowing the large amount of uses the Emerald Wheat. "Though a pancake made with the Emerald Wheat sounds delicious as well!"

"Haha! Komatsu! Why don't you try making one with the Emerald Wheat later!" Toriko slapped Komatsu shoulder at his suggestion. "It might be my second full course dessert!"

"Sure!"

"Count us in too!"

"Wha-?" Komatsu turned to the Nora.

"I, Nora, won't just sit back and allow such delicious chance to slip away! We will help you get that Jade wheat and make the best pancake ever!"

"Its Emerald." Ren corrected her. "But we should really get back soon, others may start to worry about us."

"Oh, right." Nora dejectedly said, her shoulders slumped downwards.

"We will be going then." Ren bow to them in farewell before he started to leave with Nora in tow. The latter still downcast with every step she took.

As he turned to where he last sight the cave they came from, he heard extra pairs of footstep following them. He glanced back and realized that Toriko and Komatsu were going in the same direction as they are.

"Aren't you going to get the wheat?"

"Its up ahead in this direction. The same place where you guys are coming from." Toriko and Komatsu walked next to them.

Ren raised an eyebrow to that. _How did he know?_

"The smell," Toriko answered Ren question from the tell on his face. "This trail has both of your scent lingering on it. So it was pretty easy to follow."

Ren widened his eyes at that, this person nose was almost as good as a bloodhound if what he said was true.

"That's so cool! But wouldn't you have problem if you smell something strong?" Nora wondered aloud.

"Yeah, it is a problem but you get used to it." Toriko brushed it off with good humor as he sniffed heavily with his nose before he grinned widely. "Cause its good for finding food, and the smell of food is even stronger. So it can stimulate my appetite even more!"

"Neat!" Nora awed as the two bantered until they finally reached the cave where Ren and Nora had came from.

"Well, this is farewell i suppose." Komatsu dejectedly said to the pair.

"I wished we could have followed you to get those Emerald Wheat." Nora pouted at that.

"Perhaps some other time. Farewell friends." Ren waved to them as they slowly made their way to the cave entrance. The two walked into the cave that stretched on like a tunnel, light coming from the other side.

"Ah, i wanted to try that pancake. And then there's the candy bees too. We didn't managed to taste any." Nora said in between steps.

"Nora, did you noticed something?" Ren question brought Nora out of her depressed mood and she perked with attention. "There wasn't any Grimm present throughout the entire time."

"Hmm, maybe there weren't any there? Or maybe Toriko cleared them all out." Nora suggested.

"Even so, i never heard any of those animals, place, or this Bishokuya is. Unless we went into some unknown Kingdom but that's unlikely, the animals are too...mystical." Ren continued on as he placed a hand underneath his chin to contemplate. "I think its better we mark the area and come back again after we report this to the school."

"Sure, i can't wait to show everyone else the food here." Nora smile returned as she walked with a ship in her steps. This raised her mood considerably as Ren also agreed to that.

As they neared the exit, Ren raised a hand to cover his eyes as it adjusted to the change in light intensity.

They had better regroup with Jaune and Pyrrha, who knows how worried they'll be since they were missing for quite some time-

 _Wait what?_

* * *

"It is a pity, Nora seem really eager to taste the Emerald Wheat. Maybe we should save some for her when we're done with the job." Komatsu suggested to Toriko as they continued their journey, rounding around the mountain that Ren and Nora cave led too.

When he received only silence from his partner, Komatsu approached Toriko. "What's wrong?"

"Komatsu," Toriko started out as he seemed to be pre-occupied in his thoughts. "Ren and Nora weren't lying when they said they weren't from here."

"Eh?"

"Their scent doesn't match anything i know. Everything about them was new, from their clothes to their weapons."

"S-so what does that mean?" Komatsu said, puzzled at this revelation.

"It could mean that they come from a civilization that had absolutely no contact from the outside world at all."

"Wait, does this mean that we found a lost country or something?!" Komatsu eyes widened at that revelation, that was on par, no, perhaps even greater than discovering a new species or ingredient!

"I am not sure…" Toriko said, he himself wasn't able to figure them out. He will have to report this finding to the president, perhaps that old man will have an inkling to this.

They finished their route around the mountain and are now headed on a straight line to their requested item now. His mouth watered slightly in anticipation from how the Emerald Wheat will taste and what delicious food they can make from it. Bread, pancakes, waffles, perhaps even cakes?

He eagerly rubbed both of his hands until a footstep noise echoed at the edges of his ears broke his day dream and he turned towards it, ready for any threats that would appear. Instead, he was greeted by a familiar pair.

Ren and Nora had just exited the cave that they had taken, just as bewildered as he is with the two staring at them back with wide eyes.

"What?"

* * *

As usual, comments and criticism are welcomed. The next chapter will be much longer.


	3. In sight

Third chapter is up!

Disclaimer: I do not own Toriko or RWBY. Toriko belongs to Mitsutoshi Shimabukuro and RWBY belongs to Monty Oum as well as Rooster teeth.

* * *

"And we were in our biggest dilemma!" Nora held her head with both hands and squatted down in despair. "We couldn't go home! No more team Juniper! No more team Ruby either! Just me and Ren, alone all again!"

"...But you are here." Sun slowly pointed out.

"Yes! But it was so scary! Imagine not being able to come home again!" Nora pulled both Jaune and Pyrrha into a close hug. Much to the former surprise. "I would miss you all so much!"

"Thanks." Jaune said between the strong arm that kept a tight hold over his neck.

"You're welcome." Pyrrha gently said and patted her back.

"So how did you came back?" Blake turned towards Ren for an answer.

* * *

"Well-"

"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!" Nora screamed as she ran back into the cave.

Ren mind nearly halted himself as he stared dumbfoundedly at the exit and back at the start.

 _They didn't went back home? Why?_

"Ren! The back way isn't the way home either!" Nora shouted as she skidded next to his side. Panic and fear gripped her as she held him by the arm. "What should we do?!"

"Calm down." Ren assured her, the last thing they needed was to lose their cool. Even though his mind was still racing as he looked back to cave, struggling to wonder what happened. "We will get home."

"Maybe you went to the wrong cave?" Komatsu asked which reminded Ren of their presence.

Well, at least they weren't totally alone and stranded.

"No, they didn't" Toriko said as he walked to the cave entrance and took a deep breath. The large blue haired man closed his eyes briefly before he looked at the exit. "Odd, I can smell it."

"Smell what?" Nora asked.

"Your home." Toriko slowly said as his eyes gazed slowly at the cave, even with his advanced eyesight he can't penetrate the dark. He hummed a bit, if only Coco, Sunny or even Zebura was here. They could be able to tell more about what happened. As of now, he could smell the different vegetation and change of air but that's about it.

"You can-?" Ren then remembered just how sharp his nose was and abandoned his question but what Toriko said caught Ren attention. Does that means that there's a way back?

"Yeah. It is odd though." Toriko said as he pointed to the entrance and to the end of the cave. "I can smell your tracks here but it is almost like you just appeared from here out of a sudden."

"Maybe there's a trap door?" Komatsu suggested.

"I don't think we triggered or pressed anything." Ren added.

"There would have been a faint scent left behind if it did."

"Maybe we just got teleported! That cave was all spooky feeling earlier." Nora pointed out to Ren. "Remember that chill and stomach turning feeling when you eaten too much? I didn't felt that at all."

Ren opened his mouth to respond to that but closed it, she was right. He didn't felt that chill. Does that means there had to be a condition to do so?

"Nora, what did we do or touched before we entered the cave?"

"Hmm, we just walked through but i was first. Maybe that's why?" Nora said with a finger on her chin before she quickly grabbed onto to that and this time, went ahead of Ren first before she gestured him to follow. "That's it! Maybe i have to walk ahead first!"

Both she and Ren tried again, Nora even imitating her skip in her steps as she walked through the cave but was disappointed again when she could still see the same surroundings and not the familiar one.

"We cannot go home, can we Ren?" Nora pouted sadly and bit her lips, her eyes watered before she quickly shook her head and wiped it away with her arm. "No, this isn't going to be how the story ends! We will find a way home no matter what!"

Ren nodded to that declaration, they aren't going to give up that easily.

"I think i know a few people that can help with that."

Both them spunned their head to Toriko in surprise and shock at that information.

"Well, it isn't a guarantee." Toriko added quickly as he scratched his cheeks with a finger. "But i know the President of the IGO, that old man lived long enough to know plenty of things. He also probably got a few people to help out as well."

"Ah, like Setsuno right? I think she'll know!" Komatsu said excitedly, filling them with hope.

"Yeah, besides…" Toriko looked at the cave. "This could be those special zones or areas like Gourmet world."

"Special zones?" Ren tilted his head at that.

"What's that?" Nora asked.

"It is a little hard to explain all of it but essentially, there are zones which behave differently from normal circumstances. It can either be weather, climate or even wild beast." Toriko shuddered slightly as he recalled his own experienced and the certainty of death if he hadn't been rescued in time. He shook those thoughts away as he faced the two. "But i think this could be one of those zones. What type i am not so sure but they would know."

"So we can get back?" Nora hopeful eyes beamed at that.

"There's a chance."

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Nora hugged Toriko, a hard task as he towered over her but it didn't stop her from trying. "I'll give you all my pancakes i ever had if we can get back home!"

"I'll make them for you." Ren added with a smile and gratitude to this man.

"Oh, you are chef too? Think you can invite me to your restaurant?" Toriko said with a beam as he put Nora back down.

"No, no, i am not a chef. I am able to cook well." Ren waved his hands at that.

"Are you sure you want to follow? The Emerald Wheat area is still a danger zone right?" Komatsu pointed out to Toriko.

"The more people there are, the faster job will finish right?"

"And we're strong! We took out that bull after all." Nora assured him but Komatsu didn't seemed convinced.

"Well, if you really want to be convinced-" Toriko mysteriously said as he looked like he was contemplating deeply before he looked upwards to the sky.

Ren and Nora followed his gaze, wondered what caught his gaze. Aside from the few clouds and sunshine, there was nothing above.

When they looked back down to Toriko, immediately, their senses was assaulted. The very air seemed to tingle and a chill went down their spine, their instinct blaring and warning them of danger.

A massive red ogre stood right in front of them. Its teeth snarled and fangs bared. A hand was raised, ready to crush them. And both of them felt it very clearly, that it can easily do so.

Their instinct of flight took over them, icy fear gripped their veins.

 _Only for a moment._

Without a word, the two immediately retreated and had their weapon trained at it. Ready to attack and defend themselves from this monster.

Then, as sudden as it appeared, the ogre vanished from their sight. Leaving only Toriko in place, at the side was Komatsu who was sprawled on the ground ungracefully with a slack jawed mouth.

"W-W-What was that for? Toriko!" Komatsu shouted immediately, his face terrified in fear and tears threatened to burst from his eyes. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

What was that? Ren thought to himself, was he seeing things? Was that his semblance?

"Where's that freaky big red hunk of a lunk?" Nora questioned as she rubbed her eyes and blinked several times to clear it.

"See, convinced now? They are totally good!"Toriko smiled widely at that despite the protesting and complaints from Komatsu."Now, let's get the Emerald Wheat then?"

"That doesn't explain anything at all!" Komatsu replied to that.

* * *

"He used a semblance to scared you?" Weiss raised an eyebrow at that.

"It isn't a semblance, it more...well," Ren rubbed the back of his head, struggling to explain it properly. "Hostile intent, was it?"

"It was fighting spirit, Fighting spirit!" Nora stood up and made a frowny face as she flexed her arm as well. Trying to look intimidating and failing to do so.

"So why did he do that?" Yang asked with puzzlement.

"Hmm, something about willingness to die in the wilds. It was weird." Nora scrunched her brows together in contemplation.

"He was quite the...individual." Ren diplomatically said.

"How so?" Neptune questioned.

"He would only kill in self defense, or when he wants to eat something." Ren extrapolated to them.

"What about the Grimm?"

"There aren't any Grimm there as we later learn."

That earned the attention of everyone, looks of disbelief and whispering between one another.

 _No Grimm?_ That seems too good to be true.

"That seem too much. How can there be not any Grimm?" Weiss dismissively said with a wave of her hand.

"Its-"

"Its another world!" Nora interrupted, to which Ren merely agreed with a nod of his head at the simpler explanation of Nora.

"Like, an alternate dimension?" Blake said to which Nora nodded profusely. Blake raised an eyebrow at that. "Huh."

"Still, no Grimm." Ruby dreamily said and looked to the skies. "I really wish that can happen one day."

Everyone kept silent at that and smiled at that dream. Even if it was childish or wishful thinking, it was still a dream worth pursuing.

"But yeah, this Toriko and Komatsu! What weapon they use?' Ruby changed the subject as she asked with full interest. This character seemed like a huntsman, surely one of his caliber would have an equally unique weapon! "Was it awesome? A combination weapon?"

"Toriko was more of a brawler, though he did use some weird martial arts." Ren said, deflating Ruby slightly at that. "And Komatsu is a chef."

"A what?" Jaune asked again, wondered if he had misheard.

"A chef." Ren said with a serious look.

"He is a chef, in the middle of a forest." Yang statedly blankly with a raised eyebrow, to which Ren confirmed. Yang tried to say something as she opened her mouth before closing it again. "I got nothing."

"Yeah, he was a bit lame. Kind of like Jaune!" Nora chirpily said, much to Jaune crushing pride. But she quickly got serious as she leaned forward. "But he was super important later."

"How so?" Sun asked, to which Nora continued her tale.

* * *

The four of them made their way through the forest and into the open plains that stretched as far as the eye can see. There was nothing in between save for the sea of grass and the clear blue sky.

"So where's the wheat located?" Ren looked at the area, he couldn't spot anything resembling wheat at all.

"We should be getting there soon," Toriko squinted his eyes at the far distance. "Probably an hour of walk or so."

"Let's go! Time's a wasting!" Nora said with a skip in her step as she moved ahead of the group. "I might even beat you all to it!"

"Hah, i can't let you do that! Otherwise i am not a pro!" Toriko jest as he moved ahead along with Nora, the two almost seemed to be competing as they ran ahead playfully. Leaving Ren and Komatsu slightly behind the group.

"Uh-so what do you do?" Komatsu asked in concern to Ren. "I mean, you two are in the wild jungle, and if you never heard of a Bishokuya then why are you out there?"

"An assignment, we're to scout, repair and maintain the outposts from the Grimm."

"Oh, for your home?" Komatsu said and Ren nodded to that, before Komatsu pondered slightly as he asked. "And what is a Grimm?"

 _What?_

Ren halted in his step, his mouth and eyes wide in shocked and surprised just as Komatsu was when he heard that he didn't know what a Bishokuya is.

 _No, no._ He breathed calmly, this was something he didn't expect but then again, he just saw anatomically impossible creatures and plants.

 _Calm, just remained calm._ Ren thought to himself as he gestured with both of his hands together.

"Grimms are...creatures of destruction and hate. They only desire to kill humans and nothing else." Ren slowly explained to Komatsu who widened his eyes at that, growing more terrified at each description. "We have been under attack as long as we can remember."

"T-then how did you all survive?" Komatsu asked, who took his words seriously and not at all perplexed at his explanation.

"Thanks to this," Ren took out his weapon and cocked it once before pulling it back to let it go. The pistol ejected a round out and he snatched it in mid-air before showing it to Komatsu.

To him however, it seemed like a regular bullet aside from the more shiny ring around it.

"Inside this bullet, is the propellant known as dust."

"You mean, gunpowder?" Komatsu said before Ren shook his head.

"No, dust. Allow me-" Ren said as he took the bullet and snapped the actual bullet from the cartridge. Carefully, he poured out the dust within.

Komatsu saw this red dust and realized it wasn't gun powder at all, he moved to touched the dust-

Before Ren quickly pulled his hands back and away from Komatsu finger.

"It can be quite reactive," Ren said, to which Komatsu wisely withdrew his finger. Allowing Ren to continue his explanation. "But this, is what allowed us to survive."

"Amazing." Komatsu awed at it, was it a natural forming gunpowder? If that's the case, no wonder this thing was so important.

"Indeed, it is." Ren nodded to that as he capped the dust back into the cartridge before he asked a question of his own, one that he had been wondering this whole time. "If you don't mind, can you tell us more about your...place?"

Ren said the last part awkwardly, he certainly didn't felt like he was in remnant. It felt like in a fairy tale instead or those fable stories.

"Yeah, like how come there are walking food! Those are so amazing!" Nora sudden presence nearly had Komatsu leaping into the air as she came close to him.

"Uh, well, where do we start?"

And Komatsu explained about the history of the world, or at least, most of the history that he remembered. From the world's greatest Bishokuya, the discovery of Gourmet cells, the preceding war and how it ended. Ren and Nora was enraptured by it as they paid close attention.

* * *

"And that's when Acacia served the dish, known as God, to the world. Which managed to end the war and ushered an era of peace." Nora enthusiastically repeated the story to her friends, as she moved animatedly to emphasize her point.

"Wow." Ruby eyes had stars in them as she listened to the tale. She took a deep breath before she jumped upwards in amazement "That was so cool! A dish called God and ended a war!?"

Weiss and Blake felt that it was outlandish, so outlandish and so absurd that they can't tear themselves away from listening to it. Food managed to end a war? And make other nation co-exist?

"That god food must have been divine." Yang said as she waved her hand outwards. "But to think they started a war over food."

"Well, with plenty of people and not enough food, everyone can start feeling that they deserve it more." Sun answered, whom Weiss only eyeroll at that. This didn't escape Sun notice as he quickly pointed out. "And for the record, i took that banana with the full intent of paying it back."

"Sure." Weiss raised eyebrow and sarcastic toned indicated otherwise. To which Blake jab her in the ribs with her elbow lightly.

"It isn't that far fetched, we too have the great war." Ren added in, which made everyone contemplate on Remnant own history. "Fighting over food doesn't seem that silly in comparison."

"It is kind of sad though, even without the Grimm, wars would still be fought." Pyrrha dejectedly said, her eyes cast to the sides.

Blake only looked away at that statement, her fingers and bow twitched slightly.

"Well, it could be worst, at least ours didn't last a hundred years over _one_ war." Jaune tried to cheered the mood to a varying degree.

"But to name a dish, god. What's next? Air?" Weiss remarked snidely, to which Ren opened his mouth before Weiss raised her own to stop it. A headache came to her rapidly. "My god, they actually did?!"

"Yes, there is an ingredient called Air to be precise." Ren explained to Weiss, making everyone else paid close attention as well. "It is a salad for the main course of Acacia."

"You said course, as in a full course meal?" Ruby question was received with a nod.

"Yes, the soup is called 'Pair', fish dish is 'Another', meat dish is 'News', main course is 'God.' " Ren could see each of his friends widened eyes as he listed what he remembered. Disbelieved, confused and befuddled at each name of the course. "Then the salad is 'Air', dessert's 'Earth' and the finishing drink is 'Atom.' "

"T-that-" Yang said but she closed her mouth slowly, completely lost for words. She then settled for the question almost everyone had. "How are any of those even _food_?!"

"Talk about dramatic." Blake quipped back as she raised her eyebrows at the names. Some of it made sense but the soup, fish and meat dish seemed completely out of place. It did however, piqued her curiosity immensely as she wondered how and what they actually looked like.

"Naming a drink atom sounds rad though." Neptune pointed out as he grinned at that.

"Yeah dude." Sun agreed.

"Got to admit it, they have some fun imaginative name." Ruby liked it, it seem simple yet also has this cool feel to it.

"I know right! We were all like 'Oh! Ah!', 'that's so cool!'." Nora agreed with Ruby sentiment.

"What about the hors d'oeuvre?" Weis pointed out after a moment of contemplation. This made everyone swiveled their heads to her.

"The what horse?" Ruby tilted her head.

"Hors d'oeuvre?" Weiss waved her hands to her friends before she rolled her eyes at the confused looks. "The appetizer."

Ren opened his mouth to answer before he realized that Komatsu never told him about it, he reached the back of his head and rubbed it in puzzlement. "Come to think of it, he never told me."

"Maybe there isn't one." Nora shrugged her shoulders at that when she think about it." Anyways, after he told us that story. We finally reached the Emerald wheat…"

* * *

The journey was relatively peaceful, it seemed like nothing lived or even roamed the wild plains. The wind blew clearly and the sky was relatively bereft of clouds as well, allowing the sun to shine brightly.

That was when it changed, the grass slowly became taller. It was a subtle thing, first it was barely covering their shoes, then it went to their ankle, above their knees and finally it went to their thighs.

This change of thick foliage made Nora absent mindedly kicked or pulled one of the grass out before she realized she can't. At first she thought it was just her fingers slipping until she actually stopped and started to pull one out.

"Argh!" Nora grunted as she pulled the ordinary looking grass, yet the thing refused to budge. It didn't even snap in half from the force being applied.

"Nore, what are you doing?" Ren asked with an eyebrow raised.

"This grass just wouldn't budge! It's like it's glued to the ground!" Nora kept trying as she leaned backwards with her weight before she panted once, spit on both of her hands and gave a mighty stomp. Ren visibly blanched when he realized Nora is not just serious, she was deadly serious. "Alright, you little grass! I will show you what Nora can do!"

She had her feet anchored to the ground, both arms together pulled onto the grass and she visibly sparked once. Then with a powerful heave, she _pulled_ with all her might.

The grass strained at her strength and pull but it held together, Nora was visibly turning red and her muscles veins showed. Yet she refused to give up, if anything, it just made her more determined in her stance.

Slowly, the grass fiber has a small tear at the sides before it slowly widened. Then with a snap, Nora was thrown backwards due to her pull and freed grass in her hands.

She rolled once, twice before she landed roughly on the ground.

"Owies." Nora rubbed the back of her head as she looked at the grass in her hands before she throw a smile. That'll teach the grass!

"Wow." Ren looked with awe as he bend downwards to the grass and studied the grass in detail. The blade of grass was torn off but the roots remained firmly in place. Idly, he dug underneath it before he felt his fingers came across the hard feeling of roots more fitting for a tree than belonging to mere grass.

"So it is the same." Toriko words interrupted his thoughts as Ren looked upwards to him. "The grass are the same as the forest of Wu. Now that i think about it…"

Toriko looked to a direction before he looked to the front. "The Wu forest is within the migratory birds path. No wonder the flora here is so resilient as well."

"What do you mean?" Ren said as he was joined by Nora and Komatsu.

"Probably...this entire grassy plain belongs to the Emerald wheat." The moment Toriko words left his mouth, it stunned everyone.

"W-What do you mean, Toriko?" Komatsu said.

"Aren't grass different from wheat?" Nora pointed out.

Ren kept quiet as he thought to himself before his face came to a realization.

"Most probably, this plains is nothing but a part of the Emerald wheat. Like how plant grows leaves, this entire plains is connected to the main branch of the Emerald wheat so that it can take in as much sun as it wants to grow." Toriko explained, pointing and sweeping his fingers around them to the plains that stretched out as far as the eye can see. "Not just that, but with this amount of space, it also allow it to take in as much rainfall as it can."

"So, this whole place-" Nora twirled around before pointing to the grass in her hands. "Is nothing but a part of the Emerald wheat?"

Toriko nodded.

"That...IS SO AWESOME!" Nora shouted and cheered loudly as she leapt for joy. "Wait till i tell this to everyone! Oh my god, they're going to be so impressed! I wonder if we can keep some for them? But we gotta take the first bite! Come on Ren! Let's get going, i am so excited for this-Wheee!"

Nora words blurred together as she moved in action like a hyperactive child and had Ren in towed as the two almost doubled their speed.

"But really, it is kind of amazing. To think that this is all part of the Emerald wheat." Komatsu echoed Nora's opinion. Seeing ingredients sent and packaged to his hotel is one thing but it was far more amazing to see the ingredients in their natural state and habitat. It makes trips like this worthwhile. He sighed a bit, though he could do more often with trips that don't involved risking his life.

"Yeah, imagine all that flavor. Taken in by dozens of miles of sunshine and rain. All condensed into a single grain. It must be delicious." Toriko grinned before he looked around his surroundings.

While it could be true that this is all parts of the Emerald wheat, his sinking suspicion was rising each time they got closer.

No wild beast or insect, not even dangerous plants nearby. Even other animals didn't seem to come close to this plain. After all, the Emerald wheat surely must have attracted wild beast to come. Yet there are none in their trip so far.

"What's wrong?" Komatsu asked, bringing Toriko out of his thoughts.

"Oh nothing," Toriko said before he grinned as he saw the two figures ahead. "Hey, Komatsu! Let's race, shall we? We can't let them beat us to the Emerald wheat!"

"E-Eh? Uh, sure!" Komatsu said and Toriko was already sprinting forward. Just enough to constantly be in front of Komatsu but not enough to outpace him. Komatsu physical strength who lagged severely behind the three had him at the back, constantly forced to run at his maximum to catch up with them.

This race continued on, the four in high spirits as they kept their pace up. Komatsu had to admit that Toriko is one thing but to see teenagers beating him in a race seemed embarrassing.

Then again, he wasn't that physically inclined. He was a chef after all. But when he sees the two, he can't help but feel a bit sorry for them.

To learn how to fight, to defend themselves and others from such a young age. Then to continue on until they are old, it seemed sad. It also gave him an appreciation of how truly safe the environment he was raised in and prosperous the gourmet age was.

 _Still, i suppose i can do something for them as a chef._ Komatsu thought to himself before he steadied that thought into a new resolve. Yes, he would do his best to cook for them.

Combination and complements of what goes well with pancakes raced through his mind as he raked his brain to find the perfect match. He only snapped out of it when Toriko eyes spotted something afar and smiled.

"Oh! We're nearly there!" Toriko shouted loudly to everyone, to which the plains slowly gave way to a thick forest. The trees dwarfed the forest they were in previously in terms of height.

Ren blinked once, then twice as he looked at it before he realized what it was, those long, thin trees wasn't trees at all. Those were plant stalks.

He had to craned his neck upwards, and they were still a good distance away from actually being near it.

 _It is a giant wheat stalk._ Ren thought to himself with his eyes wide open.

"Look, look!" Nora pointed excitedly with her finger, directing all of their attention to the very top, countless oversized wheat grains hung at edge at it droops down slightly.

What stood out the most, was its sheen. It had such reflective sheen that the grains gleamed and shine brightly like jewels. In this bright afternoon, it was particularly strong as the grains reflected the light off and gave an impression of a forest full of jewels.

"Pretty." Nora looked on, mesmerized by it like a child in a toy store.

Ren had to admit, it was no wonder they call it Emerald wheat. He briefly doubted when Toriko said a single grain was enough to fill a lorry but seeing it for real made him realized that he may understated it. Those grain size looked like it belongs to a rock quarry meant for construction, and he wasn't sure if that's the largest it can grow to as he spied multiple more stalks that could rival skyscraper buildings.

"Amazing, so that's the Emerald wheat?" Komatsu said between ragged breaths as he looked at it in awe. "It is so beautiful from afar, no wonder the price for an unmilled grain is so expensive."

"Heh, then how about we get to tasting it?!" Toriko excitedly said to them as they responded with an energized chorus.

* * *

~Menu~

 **「** _ **Emerald Wheat**_ **」**

* * *

As usual, please leave comments and criticism.


	4. Hunt or be hunted!

"With that, we entered the Emerald Wheat forest." Ren ended his part of the tale as he stopped to take a break. He had taken over Nora halfway during their conversation, going into much more detail than Nora.

"So...the grains sparkled like emeralds?" Ruby said as she leaned forward in curiosity, to which Ren nodded to her question. "Like, real jewelries?"

"It isn't a gem." Ren emphasized. "But, when we inspected it closely, we realized the outer shell shined like one. Though it seemed that even the shell could fetched a very high price."

"How so?" Weiss asked, though she had an inkling on the answer.

"The shell when properly processed, can be turned into a thin film or sheet that still maintains its reflection that it can be used to be placed or covered an area."

"Like thin plastic?" Jaune pointed out.

"Yes."

"Cool." Ruby said with awestruck.

"Komatsu said it can even be used for solar panels! But i wonder why though?" Nora added before she placed a finger on her chin at the last statement.

"It was capable of capturing a vast amount of sunlight and trapping it easily." Ren gave the abridged version of the explanation given to them. "They say that it can easily power an entire household just for one panel."

"This is getting more and more ridiculous by the second." Weiss skeptically whispered to Blake, which the former ignored as she was interested in hearing more from the pair. Fully captured by the tale with her bow twitching occasionally when things got interesting.

"So how did you get the wheat?"

"As we entered-" Nora resumed the tale and everyone paid rapt attention.

* * *

"Wow, there's so much here!" Nora exclaimed as she looked to her surroundings as at their feet, were smaller stalks that had yet to bear their grains yet but it was the tall stalks that towered over them which caught her attention the most.

Nora begin to quickly raced for the biggest one she can find, and like a monkey, quickly begin to climb the stalk easily with a mighty leap.

Toriko took this a que as he too easily followed Nora in her footsteps, leaving Ren and Komatsu at the bottom. Ren could easily climb it as well but Komatsu took a longer time as he slowly tried climbing it, prompting Ren to wait for him and always in distance within a few feet.

Ren wondered why would Komatsu risked his body and limb to come out here in the wild, sure some of it might not be as vicious as the Grimm but it was dangerous enough.

"Komatsu." Ren startled the tired Komatsu, who was taking a few deep breath as he looked to him. "Why are you here?"

"Huh?"

"You don't seem like you're trained to fight, neither do you look like you are experienced in this. You are a chef right? So why is a chef like you doing out here in the wild?" Ren questions was not of ridicule but of curiosity.

"Hah." Komatsu let out a long sigh as he regained his breath before smiling at Ren. "Well, that's true. I-I mean, I am not as strong as Toriko and perhaps not even you two as well. Even though I am older than you."

Wait, what? He's older than us? Ren idly thought as he had initially placed Komatsu to be the same age as them, his diminutive size and young face probably didn't help in that aspect.

"But…" Komatsu looked to his surroundings, his face flushed and exhausted but it seemed like it was pushed away at the sight of the Emerald wheat. "I never have the chance to see the ingredients at their natural state. Most of it are already processed or packaged nicely when they are sent to me."

"Seeing them in their natural state and environment," Komatsu voice carried a respectful tone as he smiled widely. "For me, it is a great chance to truly understand them and it helps me grow as a chef."

"Or something like that." Komatsu ended lamely as he rubbed the back of his head, expecting a dismissal or laughter from such crazy notion but Ren simply smiled to it much to Komatsu surprise.

"I understand." Ren said as he too can somewhat understand how Komatsu felt. To see such amazing ingredient and to harvest it in the wilds, it had a special kind of feeling one cannot get easily. "It is very beautiful to see after all."

"Hey! You guys coming up anytime soon?" Toriko interrupted the two as he shouted from the top, he and Nora at the top and looking to pick one of the kernel that hung from the stalks.

"Give us a break, Toriko! I can't climb as fast as you!" Komatsu exasperatedly said though it seemed like Toriko paid no heed to his words as Toriko palmed one of the Emerald grain.

"Oh. Such a pretty shine and color, it is like it is a real emerald." Toriko said with a grin as he look at the glistening grain and took a whiff from it. Immediately he can feel his mouth water and stomach grumble at the smell. "Ah, it has such a rich scent! It is truly an amazing flour."

Nora stretched her fingers briefly as she looked at the multiple grains before she spotted the largest one. She climb a bit higher and looked at it, she smiled as she deemed the size perfect for her.

She begin to tugged at it hard before she realized just how hard it was to do so, she put more and more strength in it as she pulled as hard as she can until her veins was visible.

Yet the kernel didn't even budge an inch, leaving Nora strained from the usage of her strength. "Ah! This is driving me nuts!" Nora shouted in frustration as she stood upwards before she readied Magnhild ready to blast it open.

"Here, let me." Toriko offered as he climbed closer and studied the grain, his knowledge of the Wu forest and BB corn came in handy as he straightened his hand. Then like a knife, Toriko swung his hand so fast that it blurred. The air pressure bend forwards and the kernel loosened, part of the branch holding it was sheared slightly. Toriko swung his hand multiple times until the branch was sliced in half and the heavy grain fell to the ground. Sending the two of them who stood on it falling as well before the two managed to quickly grab onto other hanging kernel.

Komatsu squack in terror as he saw an Emerald Wheat kernel, the size of a small car, went past him and down to the ground as its impact echoed loudly onto the ground. Sending a slight tremor to their surroundings.

"Woo! Cool! What was that?" Nora cheered as she turned to Toriko, she didn't see any weapon at all used by him! Did it meant he did it by hand?

"I cut it." Toriko obviously said, much to the pouting of Nora before he laughed good heartedly. "I just swung my hand fast and hard enough that it becomes a knife. But never mind that, let's go get more!"

"Yeah!" Nora gleefully said, much to the exasperation of Ren, who just arrived at the top with Komatsu.

The four of them went ahead to get more Kernels, cutting or tearing it off from the wheat until they got enough of what they needed.

Nora rubbed her hands eagerly as they took stock of their bounty. Aside from the initial big one, there were multiple smaller wheat that laid around it. Though each of the smaller ones was around the size of a football. "Come on, come on, let's hurry and turn them into pancakes! I am so hungry right now."

"Well, we got enough already with the big one for the IGO. I think we can make some flour right here." Komatsu said as he lowered his backpack and begin to take out his equipment. It looked like a blender but it didn't have blades but rather very tightly knitted gears that looked more for grinding, Komatsu proceed to take a few of the smaller grains that was the size of peas and inserted it into the machine.

"What's that?" Nora asked as she bend down and tilted her head.

"An automatic grinder." Komatsu said as he plugged the batteries into it, secured the grinder and flicked the switch.

Immediately, the machine whirred to life but instead of the fine grinding sound like butter, it sounded like rocks being grounded instead. Nora closed her eyes and covered her ears with her hands from the sudden sound, not expecting it to make such a horrific sound. Even Ren and Toriko winced from it as they recoiled back.

The machine shook up and down vigorously to the point that it fell over to the ground and continued its spin. Komatsu stunned in surprised before he instinctively shut the machine down, cutting off and ending the horrific sound.

"Ow." Nora said as she opened her eyes and rubbed her ears. "Was it suppose to do that?"

"No, no. It is not." Komatsu said as he uncorked the machine and was greeted with the scent of smoke and metal, the grain dropped out of it completely fine and a small trail of grey dust fall with it. Toriko took a bit of the dust and rubbed both of his fingers to confirmed it.

"This is metal dust." Toriko words nearly had Komatsu eyes bugged out of his head as he sputtered incoherent words in disbelief.

Ren raised his brows in shock, stunned at the implications.

"So we can't grind them?! No! Then how are we supposed to get the pancakes?!" Nora picked one of the grains up and tried to crush it with her teeth before she gave up, spat it out and fall to her knees in despair.

"Well, if the smaller ones won't work..." Toriko said as he picked up one of the grain and gave it a twirl in his hands. Then he tightened his hand into a fist as he gripped the grain. "Then let's give the bigger ones a try."

For something this hard, you need to hammer in a nail. Toriko slowed his breath down and raised his concentration.

"Two hits!" Toriko shouted as he drove his fist down to the Emerald grain, the impact travelling down from his fist to the grain. The air shook around him as the shockwave created a blast of wind around him, taking even Nora and Ren by surprise before it was followed an equally powerful second hit.

The grain shook and shuddered as the outer layer rippled like jelly for a moment, Toriko grinned as the shockwave that was felt in his hands would pulverize the inside easily. He counted inwardly as he expected it to turn into dust soon.

It didn't happen.

Instead of being pulverized to dust and into flour easily, the shock wave slowly faded away until it retained its solid shape.

Much to the shock of everyone as they looked at the grain, it was like it never even felt the damage at all. It still gleamed like a jewel, not even a scratch could be seen.

"Wha-!" Toriko was nearly speechless, he didn't use all his strength but he was sure it would have done some damage.

Idly, he ran his hands over the outer shell before he felt it under his fingers. Did the shell act like an absorber as well as an armor? So this why its capture level was so high?

Nora saw this but didn't seemed deterred, if anything, it just fueled her more as she took up her weapon.

"Ren, move back a bit." Nora said as she stood back up and took a deep breath with Magnhild in its warhammer form. An Emerald grain lied in the middle of the ground as Ren had placed it down for her. With a loud roar, Nora spun her hammer multiple times and herself as well to build up momentum. Then just as she was about to reach its apex, she let her semblance flared and lightning within coursed through her. Increasing her strength and she let loosed her hammer down like the crack of a thunder.

Magnhild collided with the grain, the sheer force had the ground rippled like it was made of water and waves in the ocean. The sound barrier broke at that as it expanded outward like a dome, the force send Komatsu backwards who had been unprepared from just how strong she had swung her hammer.

Nora breathed with a slight exhaustion, her arms was strained at that force. Briefly she wondered if she had overdone it, but if it is worth doing then it surely would be worth overdoing it, right?

As she lifted Magnhild, she dropped her jaw in shock when the grain stood still like it hadn't been subjected to any damage. The most damage she did was to the ground as chunks of it was upturned and the roots was visible.

"No way!? That did nothing?!" Nora feel to her knees as she brought the grain close to her, checking for any signs of damage in disbelief.

Ren eyes was wide eyed as he stared at the grain, it was as tough as a Grimm hide or armor. He began to change his opinion of this world from not making sense to ridiculous, Ren briefly glanced at the largest piece of grain that they had obtained. If the small ones was this difficult, then how much effort would they need for that?

"A-amazing, I never knew the Emerald Wheat was this hard to open." Komatsu awed after he recovered from the powerful draft and knelt down and to take a closer look at the undamaged grain.

"Hmm, perhaps maybe it isn't brute force that is needed." Toriko clicked his tongue as his eyes studied for any lines in between that normally connects the bran, after all, this thing was milled and sold in the market. There must be a way to do this.

"Allow me." Ren drawed out his weapon, Storm Flower, out of his sleeves and gestured to the sharp end. Toriko tossed the grain to Ren for him to try as he set it to the ground and begin by slamming down the sharp end of his blade pistol onto the grain.

Ren furrowed his brow when that didn't work, it was like stabbing a rock. He tried running the blade over the grain, even that didn't help as well as it didn't left a mark. Still, he didn't give up. There must be a wa-, wait, is that?.

"Hmm?" Komatsu said as he spotted something at the same time with Ren as he leaned closer down to the grain. "Is that-?"

"Duck!" Toriko snapped his head upward and pushed the duo down before he finished shouting, making the two acquainted with the grass as they hit the ground with a grunt and yell of surprise from Komatsu.

"What's going on?! What is that?!" Komatsu surprise turned into fear as he looked upwards.

Ren can't blame him, he too was taken aback from what he saw.

It was a large brown owl, Ren noted that the size of the owl was particularly large. In fact, it looked like it could carry Toriko easily in one of its talon alone like a mice. Yet that wasn't the thing that bothered him the most, the owl had swooped in so silently that he hadn't even noticed it.

"Where it came from?" Ren questioned as he drew into a battle stance, tensed and on guard.

"It must have been hiding all along among the forest of wheat!" Toriko said as he looked around and try to spied for more, cursing himself for his carelessness. He didn't smell a single wild beast this whole time and assumed that there was none.

Actually, that was an oddity in itself. Toriko's suspicion rose as he sniffed the air, taking the passing scent of the owl before he widened his eyes as his nose deciphered it.

"Heads up!" Nora shouted as she aimed her grenade launcher at the owl and loosed a round, it flied into the air and slammed at the back of the owl before engulfing it in a powerful pink explosion. She fist-pumped when she landed the shot. "Aw yeah! Take that, owl!"

When the dust and dirt settled down, the owl was nowhere to be seen. Not even its carcass or pieces of it was left behind.

"That was easy." Nora disappointedly said, she wondered if that owl would have tasted good. Maybe she shouldn't have blasted it after-

"Nora, get down!" Ren shouted as he pointed his weapon at her direction.

Nora didn't even hesitated as she threw herself to the ground and felt something brush past her hair nanoseconds after she did. She looked behind her shoulder and saw the brown streak of the owl.

Its talon grabbed onto an unlucky grain stalk thick as a tree, and in an instant, crushed it easily as paper. So much so that it looked like it was sheared in half as the owl let of the stalk and circled above, ignoring the falling stalk as it tumbled down with its heavy grain to the earth.

It landed onto a leaf and stared at them, its unblinking eyes observed the would be prey.

"Hah! Now this is what I'm talking about!" Nora smiled as she adjusted the handle of her weapon, the grain was frustrating but this, this was something she could come to grips with! Maybe she can even tamed the owl and used it for flying! It would be so cool!

She wagged her fingers to the owl with a cheeky smirk, whom the Owl only rotated its head until it was upside down as its response.

Ren was at Nora side immediately, it didn't even took any damage? He wondered to himself as his eyes fall to the fallen stalk and he saw small movement around it.

"Heheh, what luck." Toriko said with a drool in his mouth as he identified the species. "A Coconut Owl, and a super large one as well."

"Oh! Does that means we can drink it?" Nora excitedly said with a grin.

"Even better, I heard that somewhere in the core, there is an even more delicious treat."

"Oh...Now I got to try it." Nora widened her grin, a sentiment shared by Toriko as well. Ren sighed but didn't say anything beyond that.

Toriko licked his lips in anticipation as he slapped both of his hands together into a prayer. "I give thanks to all the ingredients to this world…"

The Owl head snapped back into his original position and unfurled its wings, creating a small gust. Without a single word or cry, it took to the skies and circled around them. Using the stalks to keeps its path covered and to confused them.

"Itadakimasu!" Toriko laughed maniacally as the three of them readied themselves for another fight.

* * *

Sorry for the sudden and long disappearance, i had exams and assignments which pretty much ate everyone moment of my time. Rest assured, i will finish the fic and it will end soon as i don't plan to have this continue for long but a small bite size rather than a large. The next one is the last chapter. So enjoy this short chapter as i work on the last one.


	5. Emerald Wheat, the actual food!

AN: I am sorry on this being a bit late, i have no excuse.

* * *

Toriko, Nora and Ren had their backs turned to each other and circled around the one person who couldn't fight. It allowed them to protect and cover any blind spots that they have.

"Where'd it go?!" Komatsu panicked as he stood in the middle of the trio fighters, catching the sight of the coconut owl before it seemed to disappeared among the forest of stalks.

"I lost track of it." Ren darted his eyes left and right while he strained his ears to pick up any sound of wings flapping. "And I don't hear it as well."

"Nothing here." Nora quickly said as she turned her head carefully.

"Its an owl, hearing isn't gonna cut it. What's more, the scent of grains and stalk masked its presence completely." Toriko explained quickly to them from what he read up on Coconut Owls. "It isn't as fast as other birds of prey but it has amazing maneuverability, so watch out for that."

An unsettling silence fall on them as the three carefully watched their surroundings. Just as sudden the owl had came, it was gone like a ghost.

Ren eyes fell back to the fallen stalk and saw something that seemed to swarm around it. He quickly gestured for Toriko attention and directed to it. "What's that?"

Toriko turned to Ren direction and narrowed his eyes, then it sprung up in surprised and clarity.

"Sugar mouse? Here?" Toriko said as mouse in multiple sizes appeared from the ground. Biting and gnawing into the fallen stalks eagerly instead of the grains that they had laid openly in a nice pile.

"Mouse, where? Where? Oh!" Nora said with excitement like a child. When she saw the mouse, she squeed in delight. She ran towards it as she attempts to pick one up.

"Nora, wai-!" Ren warned but Nora didn't heard it or ignored. She was already bent down to pick one of the mouse, her hands reached out-

Only to have a blur streak past her hands and snatch up one of the mouse she'd aimed for, leaving her to squawk in surprise as she followed what had taken it.

It was another coconut owl, though this one was a normal size owl instead of the giant owl that had ripped the stalk apart. The owl had snatched the mice in its talon and easily flew away much to Nora outrage.

"Hey! That was mine!" Nora angrily shouted as she shook her fist at the owl, just as she finished with her words. Two more brown streaks followed behind her as it begun to snatched the other mice quickly.

"So the mice are the pest here? That would mean the owl is the top predator here." Toriko said as Ren went to Nora side while Toriko kept Komatsu close to his side. "That big owl must have been eating so much mice that it grew that big and became the boss of the area huh?"

"So that means we're its next meal now?!" Komatsu panicky voice said, filled with fear and terror.

"Yeah-" Toriko smiled as he tensed his body, his body and instinct warned him.

Like a lightning bolt from the blue skies, Toriko scooped Komatsu and dove to the side. Just moments before large talon snatched nothing but air and the large frame of the owl quickly moved out of sight again.

"Toriko! We should leave this forest!" Ren quickly shouted, aware of just how disadvantageous their position was. A sentiment shared by the Bishokuya.

"Yeah! Pick up the grains and start running!" Toriko commanded as he took up a grain the size of a handball and tossed it to Komatsu.

Komatsu caught it awkwardly and moved to stuffed it into his bag, prompting Nora and Ren to stuffed some smaller grains that they can put into their pockets. When that was done, the four of them sprinted as fast as they can while keeping their head low.

Still, Ren could feel that the Owl was near. Observing and pursuing them as the surroundings blurred past him.

His eyes darted to the sides when he thought he saw a blur and raised his pistol to it. Two large eye looked back at him and was in a direct collision path to him, Ren didn't even hesitate and pulled the trigger to fire at the owl.

Two rounds spat out and slammed right into the owl chest, yet it barely even slowed it down. Ren raised both of his hands into a guard before he felt the full force of the owl skull rammed right into him. He tumbled through the air and had his momentum halted when his back hit a large stalk, as he looked up he saw the owl talons raised and ready to crush him.

With an acrobatic display born from both hard training and adrenaline, Ren jumped off the ground and fired both of his pistol once, utilizing the recoil brought himself upwards at the last moment and made the owl talons grabbed nothing but the stalk behind of him.

It was also perfectly timed for Nora, who was bringing Magnhild down for a powerful strike aimed at its back.

The owl head turned itself backwards with its eyes picking up Nora movement and with a graceful display that belie its size, flapped its wings once and flew to the sides easily. Letting Nora strike pass by it harmlessly and striking the stalk instead.

Nora wasn't deterred from it as she spun her weapon around and placed herself in front of Ren. She considered switching her weapon mode to shoot at it but out of the corner of her eyes, she saw something that resemble a large fork arced through the air and towards the owl.

The fork lanced through the air and nearly hit the owl as four sharp points embedded itself onto the wheat stalk. Not sooner the owl had dodged the first one, multiple forks filled the air as it was fired out by a machine gun.

"Move!" Toriko shouted to the pair loudly as he swung his arm downwards in a cutting motion, the air then bisected in half as the owl banked upwards.

This gave a chance for Ren and Nora to quickly dash forward, moving as fast as they can towards the exit of the forest. No sooner the two caught up to Toriko and Komatsu side, the four of them quickly ran in tandem from the forest. Light filled their vision for a moment as they cleared the forest and the strong sun shone on them.

"We're outside!" Komatsu shouted with relief, as he tumbled on the ground several times from the intense chase.

"Is it still chasing us?" Ren slide to a stop as he turned around, his own question answered with the owl burst past the forest. His twin pistol raised as he shouted to Toriko. "What are its weakness?!"

"Coconut owls feathers are light and superbly sturdy, you got to strike it deeply for the damage to penetrate it," Toriko explained quickly as he flexed his fingers and turned to Ren with a smile. "I can limit its movement, can you two bring it down?"

Ren and Nora looked at each other for a moment before they shared a grin.

"Alright then." Toriko smirked as he took a deep breath, a moment of concentration as he tensed his muscle.

The owl swerved and glided as it moved to circle around them.

A move that Toriko foresaw, as he swung both of his arms rapidly. With a bestial yell, the air was filled with fork and knives. Blanketing the area quickly as it forced the owl to change its tactic.

It quickly dived lower and was on a beeline straight for them, making minimal movement in its flight.

Ren crouched down like a racer on a starting line before he dashed forward, just in sync with nora hammer as she swung it horizontally. His feet touched it briefly before his entire body felt the immense acceleration given by Nora arms and hammer, propelling him forward like a bullet.

He fired his pistol shots high, forcing the owl to go even lower and was mere inches from the ground.

When Ren and the owl was about to collide, Ren fired two shots.

The Owl looked up for a second before it twirled and twisted its body around. Dodging Ren shots and its talon ready to seize him.

Then it jerked to the side when its eyes picked up a green flying object heading straight for it and barely dodged it in time.

Nora had struck an emerald wheat grain the size of a beach ball towards it like an arrow, narrowly missing it by a few inches.

It unfurled its wings and kept moving, shifting target and its previous prey forgotten.

Nora grinned as she spun around to build momentum, firing off a few of Magnhild shots to further increased her speed.

The distance between the two closed, one flying straight like an arrow while the other spun like a tops.

The owl readied its talons, easily picking out Nora's weakness. Its focus and eyes at its peak, nothing will escape its notice.

Nothing, except those that aren't in its sights.

It felt a hard object hitting its back, not powerful enough to damage it as its feathers cushioned the impact but it was enough to penetrate its feathers that was akin to scale armor. This made the owl spun its head backwards.

Ren had kicked the emerald grain that flew past the owl and was in a full sprint towards it, seeing an opportunity that presented itself.

With the owl head turned towards Ren, it had forgotten that Nora hammer was already closing in. The air _bent_ around her hammer as she stepped and twisted her feet deeply, her entire sides and hips followed to further strengthened her blow.

Magnhild crashed into the owl's chest, the feathers unable to dampened all of the damage to its chest as it felt the air leaving its lungs. The entire mass of the owl was glued to the hammer and was at its mercy, unable to even turn or flap its wings to change its direction. It would have flew back into the forest and crashed into heavily, defeated and wounded but not dead.

Nora had other ideas as she eyed her partner with a grin, the pair already setting up the next move.

Ren spun around once as he pulled his pistol back to his sleeves for a palm strike, he channeled his aura and gathered it before he slammed it right into the chink of the owl's armour. The wheat grain that had embedded itself past the feathers.

Aura flowed, it _rippled_ , and it burst. The aura went right through the feather, the hardened husk, bones and straight to its core.

The owl shook once as it seemed like it was electrified before it fell to the ground, the light already dimmed from its eyes as it was bested by its prey. The hunter becoming the hunted.

Nora raised her hand high, a gesture that Ren replied by slapping it with his hand.

"Woo hoo! That was awesome!" Nora cheered as she peered at the owl, proud and confident at the latest victory. If everything was like this, she didn't mind staying here longer. It was just so exciting!

* * *

"And wham! We got the owl!" Nora swung her hands together as she excitedly told how they defeated the owl together. "It was tough! Stronger than anything we seen, faster than the very wind! It could hide in plain sight and we would never see it coming! Yet we won against it!"

"Slightly exaggerated but it was hard." Ren followed, the owl was troublesome in its natural environment but when they lured it out of its hiding place it became a lot easier to track. Still, he recalled just how close he was to being crushed in half. That talon grip strength of it was monstrous, he doubt he would make even with his aura. "If it wasn't for Toriko, we wouldn't be able to defeat it so easily."

"Oh…" Ruby nodded intently at the conclusion of the fight and soaking every information up.

"He threw forks and knives?" Jaune latched on the incredulous detail of the story. He could accept the wild and crazy food, the beast, the lack of grim but the idea of someone tossing knives and forks in battle was pushing it.

"He didn't throw them! He swung his arms and they appeared!" Nora corrected Jaune with a smile similar to an adult giving a younger child when they asked an obvious question. This perplexed Jaune even further as he opened and closed his mouth several times to argue against it before finding none.

"Let me guess...fighting spirit?" Blake suggested, to which Nora nodded furiously.

"Why am I not surprised?" Weiss sighed inwardly at that, she reached far beyond the point of caring and just take it as it is.

"We did not see it per say…" Ren helped out in the explanation, he himself had a few theory as to why. "But we could feel it. I'm guessing that our Aura allowed us to perceive an image of the attack."

It wasn't something unusual to create attacks from just shock waves, formidable huntsmen or huntress was more than capable of doing it. Ren had to admit that being able to form an image of an attack that seemed like a knife or fork was something new.

"He sticks to a theme at least." Sun jested as he mime the action of a knife and fork cutting into a plate. "I wonder if someone would use spoon, oh, or maybe even a spatula!"

"Or even a ladle." Yang joined in the fun.

"How about chopsticks?"

"Hah, maybe even hands!"

"So what happened afterwards? Did you ever crack the grain?" Neptune diverted the focus to the story again, feeling that it would have gone all night if he didn't step in.

"Sure did! Thanks to Ren!" Nora pulled Ren closed to her as she hugged him with an arm over his shoulder. Rubbing her cheeks to his as she squeed. "We would have never made any pancake without him!"

Ren was taken aback by the sudden close show of affection before he smiled as he let Nora hold him for a while before he slowly and gently pushed her arms off. "Not really, it was a team effort after all."

"So how did you do it?" Pyrrha asked, curious to know. From the description, it seemed like they tried everything including hammering it with their full power.

"You see-"

* * *

"So, how do we eat it?" Nora eagerly said over the owl body as she knelt down over it, a large grin sported on her face.

"The core is where it is." Toriko said with the same eagerness as he turned the owl over, finding the wheat grain embedded deep into the outer husk of the coconut owl. Toriko worried slightly that it might have damaged it but he didn't smell the scent of the coconut milk spilling out.

 _A grain as a weapon? That's some quick thinking._ Toriko mused as he gripped the grain firmly and with a yank, pulled it free.

Then he widened his eyes, it was like a scent bomb exploded in front of him. The smell of fresh grain and sweet scent hit him like a truck, so much he winced his eyes from it.

"You okay?" Nora said as she quickly turned to him.

"Y-yeah, just fine." Toriko said as he shook his head from it, the scent was still there but it was less strong now. He realized Nora was staring at him. "What?"

"You drooling, a lot." Nora pointed out.

Toriko didn't even realized his drool was there as he felt the constant flow, almost like a river as he closed his mouth. _What was that?!_

" Mr Toriko, the grain-" Ren said as he pointed to the grain in Toriko hand, eyes widened and shocked.

Toriko and Nora followed as they too stiffened in shock. The grain shell that had been so impervious to whatever they did to it, had split open cleanly that it resembled an open budding flower. Then it hit Nora and Ren, Toriko sensitive nose caught it first and they too understood why.

The sweet aroma smell that made even the highest class of vanilla felt ordinary, it was almost like perfume. Yet there was also the faint scent of other nuts to balance the sweetness. It was intoxicating and mouth watering, stimulating the stomach greatly. Not a single blemish was to be seen on its smooth surface similar to porcelain with the color of groundnut, contrasting against the green shell perfectly as it made it stand out even more.

The three of them was mesmerized by it, their brains taking a moment to take in the sight of it.

"Wow, it is so pristine." Komatsu broke the silence as he admired it with sparkle in his eyes with his hands clasp together. He leaned forward to take a better look and take in the amazing scent. "So this is the king of breakfast flour?"

"Ah." Toriko regained his sense as he grinned widely, resisting the urge to take a bite from the grain alone. "This sweet smell, and color, it looks dense enough to be grind down fully for multiple large bag of flour."

" Yeah, let's get to making it!" Nora excitedly said.

"Uh, your mouth Nora." Ren pointed to her as Nora drool felled forward like Toriko did earlier.

"Hey, you're drooling too!" Nora retorted to Ren as he wiped his mouth and his face flushed from embarrassment.

* * *

They camped right at the place the cave entrance was previously, the four of them had to travel back while carrying the emerald wheat and coconut owl together. Ren and Komatsu handled the wheat while Toriko and Nora took care of harvesting the coconut owl.

Toriko had fashioned a grinder from the emerald wheat stalks and the remains of the coconut owl scalefor him, the tough material being handy in grinding it down. Ren offered to help him as well with the two slowly grind the grain into flour.

Ren and Komatsu was shocked as they had well over a kilogram of flour even though they had only grind perhaps a few centimeters from the grain.

 _No wonder this thing can fill a truck._ Ren thought as he focused on the grind, this miraculous food can feed maybe the entire school for breakfast.

 _Come to think of it, how did they opened the grain in the first place?_

"Hey, Ren?" Komatsu interrupted Ren thoughts, he too was thinking the same thing as well. "How did you opened the wheat grain?"

"I didn't do anything special." Ren admitted as he looked up to the discarded shell, the way it opened up seemed like it was sliced but he didn't recall cutting it at all. "Nora hit it as hard as she can before i strike it with my aura to penetrate the owl's outer shell."

"Aura? That thing you talked about before?" Komatsu was answered by Ren nod, he thought for a bit as he looked at the grain shell before an idea formed. "Could it be that it is how to open it?"

Ren raised an eyebrow as he turned to Komatsu and stopped his grinding, the latter taking another wheat grain of similar size and studied it.

"If i remembered correctly...there it is!" Komatsu looked at the end of the wheat grain and showed it to Ren. A small cross section that all the lines from the seed intersected together.

 _That is-._ Ren remembered it before the owl attacked them, as he peered at it he felt like something was guiding him and a voice in his head.

Unconsciously, he moved his hands towards it and directed a minute amount of aura. Just enough to tugged it from inside.

The effect was almost instantaneous, the wheat grain popped open like a flower blooming effortlessly.

"Wow!" Komatsu nearly let go of the wheat in surprise, even Ren was shocked by how easily it opened.

"That was...unexpected." Ren commented.

"You did it so easily too." Komatsu said with awe.

"Its nothing." Ren sheepishly said. "I just opened it from the inside by applying a little push."

"From the inside-? That's it then!" Komatsu excitedly said. "But to think that even the emerald wheat is a special preparation ingredient. No wonder the capture level is high."

"Yup. Probably around in the capture level 50." Toriko interjected, making the two turn towards them.

"Oh, you're done harvesting the coconut core?" Komatsu looked towards a large jar carried by Nora.

"Yup! And it is so sweet! Look, Ren!" Nora nearly shove the jar into Rens face but he can see why she was so excited.

The jar contained a large amount of thick golden brown liquid, it a lot like maple syrup but it seemed more darker. In addition, the scent was different from maple, this seemed more thick.

"I got another bottle too for our team when we get back. Oh, i can't wait to share this with them!" Nora showed another smaller bottle, Ren recalled seeing that particular bottle for professor Peach assignment. Did she not return it afterwards?

"We're lucky, that coconut owl gorged so much sugar mice that the core became palm sugar, or Gula Melaka." Toriko explained further to them on what they harvested as he took out the remains of the owl husk. "These would also burn well. After all, we need them to make pancakes right? Komatsu?"

"Yeah, those would be perfect." Komatsu said as he sifted the flour that they had grinded. "Let's get cooking then!"

Ren cooked a fair amount on his own, but there was a huge difference between him and Komatsu. Who worked far more efficiently and dare he say, gracefully. In addition Komatsu had made a crude butter out of the remains of the coconut owl milk. Following that, he made a batter from the flour and heated a pan before making the pancakes.

Soon, Komatsu had a stack of pancakes cooked perfectly as he flipped them onto a plate. To finish it off, he took some of palm sugar and had poured it over the pancakes.

"It's done!" Komatsu said as he served the pancakes to them. The sweet and buttery smell enticed everyone as they felt their stomach appetite rumbled.

Ren took his knife and fork, cut a piece as he brought it closer for a look. The perfectly cooked pancakes color went well with the syrup, it was pleasant to look at.

He popped the piece in his mouth, and on the first bite, he was mesmerized. It felt like he had bite into a piece of bread rather than a pancake, yet it had still retained the fluffiness of the latter. The second bite had the syrup reached his tongue, and it exploded with taste. The warm and rich palm sugar was different from maple yet its distinct flavor also enhanced the taste. It felt more like taffy from its stickiness and each time he chew, the flavors continues on. When he swallowed it down, the taste stayed for a long time.

Ren let out a contented sigh before he realized that the exhaustion he had earlier was gone, in fact, he felt more energized than ever. He feel that he could do Nora's training regiment and wouldn't even _feel_ winded.

 _Was this the effect of the emerald flour?_ Ren thought as he looked upward and saw that both Toriko and Nora had already finished their stack of pancakes in a flash.

 _It was barely a minute._ Ren thought to himself as he raised his eyebrow in shock, he just taken a single bite!

"More please!" Both of them said in tandem, much to Komatsu exasperation as he started cooking again. Ren chuckled at that as he continued his meal.

* * *

The syrup and pancakes giving the quattro enough energy to have an impromptu party which continued throughout the whole night, allowing them to share stories over the meal.

"I got it now." Toriko said as he looked at the small grain between his fingers.

"Got what?" Komatsu asked.

"How to open the grain." Toriko squeezed the bottom of the grain before it popped outwards like a candy wrapper. "It can absorb outside force easily, but the inside is completely vulnerable."

"I see."

"We're lucky that Ren and Nora found the clue for us, it would have taken hours or days to even find this clue."

"I am not sure about that."

"Hmph?"

"Remember the ozone herb and the ingredient voices? I don't think it was a coincidence." Komatsu said as he looked to the pair, Nora feeding Ren one of her pieces of pancake before the latter did the same.

"Oh? The ingredient chose them huh?" Toriko said with amusement as he looked at the two.

"Well, i suppose that is the closest thing to say." Komatsu rubbed the back of his head with a nervous laughter. "But the two of them make a good combo, don't you think?"

"Just like us, huh?"

Komatsu nodded with a smile, much to Toriko amusement.

"Heh, but they aren't anything close to us. We are the best after all!" Toriko confidently said.

"No way, whatever it is, we will be the better!" Nora boasted with a smile, leading the two to have at it again as they continued to tell more tall stories.

Even as they did, the sky slowly brightened as the sun rose from the horizon. With the flat and open plains, there was nothing in between to obstruct their view from it.

"Oh, it is morning already?" Ren looked towards east, not aware of the passing time. Even when he stayed up so late, he still feel fresh as ever. He suppose that the nutrition of the emerald wheat wasn't an exaggeration, he felt like he could stay awake for another entire day without feeling lethargic.

"Pretty." Nora looked towards the sky as the sun slowly painted it bright orange. A sentiment shared by all of them as they appreciated the beautiful scenery of a new and coming dawn.

The four of them was content to just look at the sun until Toriko nose caught something, he whipped his head towards the cave in a snap as he sniffed the air repeatedly.

 _There is no mistake._ Toriko thought as he stood straight up. This smell, he know what it is.

"Ren! Nora! Pack your things now!" Toriko ordered as he looked towards the end of the cave. "You can go back to your home!"

"Wha-?"

"The cave scent changed, it has the exact smell as you! Hurry, I don't know what is causing it but you may never get this chance again!"

Ren didn't need to hear anymore as he was already on his feet alongside with Nora, the two making a mad dash towards the cave.

"Bye, Toriko, Komatsu! Your pancakes was delicious!" Nora head turned backwards to them as she shouted back to them. She really liked their new friends, oh if only she could introduce them to her team and friends at Beacon!

Ren waved backwards to them but didn't take his eyes off from the cave exit, his sharp eyes already recognizing the foliages native to their area. The two kept their sprint, his heart hoping that it wasn't a cruel trick playing on them as he got closer and closer.

Then with a mighty leap, the two of them burst past the exit. So fast was their speed that they slide forwards non-stop when they halted in their tracks suddenly.

Ren and Nora looked at their surroundings, the trees and the cave, everything was just as he remembered before they entered it. Nothing seemed out of place.

"Hey, Ren." Nora covered her eyes with her hand as she looked upwards. "It's morning right?"

"Yes."

"So why is the sun so high up?"

That got Ren attention as he looked upwards to sky and the position of the sun indicates that it is afternoon.

Ren blinked several times at that, _it can't be_. They spent almost a day in there, yet it seemed not even half an hour has past.

He drew his scroll and look at the time, it showed that a day has past.

 _Did time passed differently?_ Just as he was contemplating on that, his scroll begun to vibrate as a call from Jaune came. Ren slide the answer button and brought it close to his ears.

"Oh thank heavens, you two were missing for half an hour for the usual check in!" Jaune's concerned voice issued from the scroll.

"Jauney! I miss you!" Nora grabbed onto Ren arms and shouted to the scroll. Ren let out a sigh of relieved, it was good to hear his team leader and friend voice again.

"We are fine." Ren curtly said to Jaune before he added. "Let us meet up at the camp site."

"Yeah, I'll be right over and don't get lost or whatever during that time!" Jaune loudly ordered as he seemed hesitant to even hang up, the background sound of his footstep echoing loudly.

"Come on, let's get back to our team." Ren said to Nora.

"Yeah!"

* * *

"And that's how we came back!" Nora ended the story as she sat back down.

The teams had a mix reaction at it, digesting the entire story told by the two of them.

"That is...quite the tale." Blake said.

"That sounds so fun! A coconut owl, a bull made of chocolate! It sounds like wonderland!" Ruby shook giddily with excitement. "Oh, I wish I could eat all that!"

"Too much sweet isn't good for your health, sis." Yang mused playfully as she ruffled the top of Ruby hair. "That's why you're still so small."

"Hey, I drink plenty of milk!"

"Wish I could have a taste of this pancakes. That sounds delicious." Sun said, feeling a little peckish for supper after listening to the myriads of food. A sentiment shared by Neptune who nodded his head.

"Yeah."

"I am just glad you two came back." Pyrrha herself didn't really believed the tale but during that half an hour, she can't help but assumed the worst when they couldn't reach them through their scroll. To see her friends safe and sound was more than enough for her.

"Yeah."Jaune let out a relieved sigh. "But I kind of wish you did bring some back for us to taste."

"Well, I still have some of the taste on my mout-" Nora pointed to herself.

"Anyway! I find it hard to believe, without any proof at least." Weiss interrupted Nora quickly as she moved the topic. The way they describe it was too vivid to be made up or exaggerated. More so when Ren explained the story half the time. Though she remained skeptical about it.

Nora frowned as she crossed her legs and arms, deep in thought as she struggled to find evidence for their journey.

"Oh, the bottle of the syrup!" Nora snapped in excitement as she quickly reached for her bag and open it. Only to widened in shock when she did. The small bottle that had carried the palm sugar wasn't there.

"No! It can't be!" Nora quickly scrambled around the camp as she tried to find the bottle. "Where is it?! WHERE is it!?"

"You dropped it?" Ren calmly said despite Nora urgently searching for it, even going so far as to look under any stone around them.

"No, it can't be-" Nora seemed to be close to tears as she desperately searched for it. "They won't believe me now! No one will ever trust us again, all because i dropped it!"

"Don't worry about it." Jaune calmed her down as he turned to the rest of the team for support. His eyes pleaded with them. "Come on, we can trust her on this right?"

"I believe you!" Ruby firmly and wholeheartedly said. This decision seemed enough as Yang and Blake both nodded to it. Weiss took a while longer but at the end she relented.

"Hey, I heard weirder things from my team before." Sun shrugged his shoulders.

"We did?" Neptune turned to Sun before an elbow from the latter clued him in and he raised a thumbs up to her. "Yeah, I mean, we totally heard weirder things before. And we still trust Sage and Scarlet. See, no problem!"

"We'll look for it tomorrow, if you want." Ren assured Nora, who finally calmed down as she hugged her entire team.

"You all are the best!"

* * *

As night fall and the three teams finally went to slumber, the cool night and broken shards of the moon illuminate the dark. Far out to where the cave entrance was, a trio Grimm beowulf slowly lumbered around.

Its red eyes, primal intelligence and burning hate moved it with a purpose. It looked for any victim it can for a kill as it strides across the area in a single line.

The beowulf at the end of the line slowly stopped in its tracks before it slumped down, prompting the second one to turn around. The third continued onwards for awhile until it realized that the two wasn't catching up and looked backwards

It took a moment for it to realized its perspective had turned upside down. It tried moving its body but can't, trying to howl and shout didn't work as it feel nothing below it.

It also realized that there was a fourth beowulf, but this one seemed to lack a head. Was there a human around that killed it?

Its eyes widened when it realized something. The headless body belongs to it. Now that it was aware of what happened, its unnatural life force drained away as its brain finally caught up that it was supposed to be dead. An action that was mimicked by its own body as it fell forward. Mist of black smoke emanate from it as it caught sight of a fur covered leg with a feet similar to a bird at the corner of its eyes.

The trio of Beowulf disappeared that night, not even realizing just what had struck it.

* * *

Pair, the blue nitro, of the gourmet nobles,caretaker and responsible for food treasure PAIR of area 7, strode into this new world and ingredients.

 _Hardly edible_ , in his opinion. It also tasted bad, he had taken a bite from the first animal he saw before he spat it back out in disgust. It looked like a wolf that learned how to stand upright and was black as midnight but the animals here was tame and weak as a newborn human baby compared to the gourmet world.

Only the third one realized it was dead, the first one that he had bitten its head off had continued walking on until it bumped into a tree. The second one he had smashed its head to groin without even looking at it, bisecting it into half.

 _Not a great start to this world._ Pair idly thought.

Still, it was a surprise to learn that there is a natural existing backdoor channel in the human world of all places. One that even leads to a different universe, this discovery would excite his comrades tremendously.

Though for a system that shares the same cells and color as that... _monster_ , it was a lot better than he assumed it would be. He thought to find a world devoid of life but instead found a world filled with life.

 _A little cultivation from the gourmet cells, and this would be a world ripe for a harvest._ Pair felt his stomach and mouth watered at that, even though the animals here taste bad it could be that it might be a special preparation ingredient. One that he didn't have the time to learn or solve.

He was here merely for reconnaissance after finding the tracks and smell of those two, and it was fruitful that there is a new world that awaits exploration.

 _Assuming that there's anything when he's revived._ Pair mood soured as he looked to the sky, it was turning dawn soon. The entrance will be reversing itself, with that, Pair quickly departed from this world.

* * *

Jaune woke up early, hoping to get a few exercise and training before the day starts. He rubbed the sleep dust from his eyes and groggily woke up to relieve himself first. He waved at Blake and Sun, who offered to take the watch for the night as he got up.

As he moved to a bush, his feet accidentally kicked something. He turned to it as it sounded like glass.

There, a small bottle jar that seemed to be filled with a dark golden brown liquid laid a few feet away from him. He wondered what it was as he bend down to pick it up, instantly, he could smell something sweet emanating from it.

 _Could it be?_ Jaune thought as he uncapped the bottle and sniffed at it. The scent struck him like a hammer as his mind was fully alert, it was the most amazing thing he had smell in his entire life.

Curiosity overwhelmed him as he swiped a little from the top of the cap, he licked it carefully and tasted it.

 _S-sweet!_

* * *

So with that, Pancakes and Syrup has officially ended! I kept this short and simple as this started as a muse that i thought of crossing, in addition, i didn't really know how to make it extend further. Hence i decided to make it short and end it on a nice note.

I may consider making more featuring Team Ruby, Qrow, Neptune and Sun but as it is, i am taking a break until i have a solid idea for the next one. Thank you all for your support and review, please share this with others if you liked it. With that, i bring the curtain down here.

See ya all!


End file.
